Sell Me On A Duck Breed

[Mimi13]

When i let my flock of rascals out in the morning, they all run straight to the porch-steps where i have that container with the cat-kibbles waiting for them. This is from last year:

There is nobody slow here, when it comes to cat-food!

I love that video. Lively and loud. I had watched this once (or twice) before over on another thread. I think I was shocked at how the ducks seemed to inhale their food. Nature is simply amazing.

 

[Mimi13]

Does anyone have a video of their chickens and ducks intermingling? I would find this interesting and would love to see it.

At my home it would be ideal if all the chickens and ducks could run together. Not necessarily sleep together, as I would provide a duck house in addition to my coop, unless they choose to do so.

I would like for the “duck pond” to be connected to another small pond by way of an overflow stream that would be pumped back up to the duck pond. My back yard has a 25-40 degree slope across its width and it would be perfect for a “lazy stream” to run through it, even a small one. By setting this up all of my animals would benefit. Not the horses, just the dogs, cats, ducks and chickens.

My chickens loooove to stand in water. It gets pretty dang warm here in central Alabama so I put out water-filled black mortar tubs with a few fire bricks in each for the chickens to stand in and cool off. Funny thing is, the silly birds use them all year round.

And then, some of my dogs not only drink the water, but love to lay/play in it as well (mostly to cool off though.) So for that, they have their own doggie pool. I take a couple of them to the ponds occasionally and they will swim themselves slap silly!

I would love to be able to incorporate the water for the ducks into something that would satisfy all the backyard animals and myself as well. I am a water person and love it in any form. I have always water in some form or other in the back yard.

 

[Mimi13]

i think the best ducks are Kahki Campbells
Then
Pekins
Saxony
Silver appleyard

@Jpat, what puts khakis at the top of your list?

 

[Jpat]

@Jpat, what puts khakis at the top of your list?

They are realy small but lay big eggs, Can be tame and are just so cute. They lay tons of eggs

 

[casportpony]

Does anyone have a video of their chickens and ducks intermingling? I would find this interesting and would love to see it.

I have this. It's mainly a pair of Canada geese, but a few seconds in you can see the chickens and ducks together.

 

[Mimi13]

@WannaBeHillBilly, would you please tell me what breeds the marked ducks are?

Blue?
Green?
Red?

(The two marked blue I thought might be the White Layers you mentioned. Just a guess though.)

Then this picture.
Blue?
Green?
Red?

Thank you very much.

 

[Mimi13]

I have this. It's mainly a pair of Canada geese, but a few seconds in you can see the chickens and ducks together.

Oh those Canadian geese. There are times there are 30+ of them in our front pasture honking away. But when Spring comes (well, now really) several pairs will visit looking for a brooding site. They are so dang mean to each other. I assume the same pair wins out for the spot each year. IDK

I guess those were you scovies that got run off, bless them.

 

[Isaac 0]

Does anyone have a video of their chickens and ducks intermingling? I would find this interesting and would love to see it.

I don't have video but, My bird's free-range together all day without any problems, have all different birds and sizes no one gets picked on. Occasionally, you will see a duck sneak up on a chicken and harass them but that's about it. I don't think you will have a problem especially if they have plenty of space to roam and have fun.

 

[quackiemama]

When i let my flock of rascals out in the morning, they all run straight to the porch-steps where i have that container with the cat-kibbles waiting for them. This is from last year:

There is nobody slow here, when it comes to cat-food!

Hey there sweet Limpy! I just adore him

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

@WannaBeHillBilly, would you please tell me what breeds the marked ducks are?

Blue?
Green?
Red?

(The two marked blue I thought might be the White Layers you mentioned. Just a guess though.)
View attachment 2036162

Then this picture.
Blue?
Green?
Red?
View attachment 2036163

Thank you very much.

First Picture:
The white ducks are the White Layers, obviously, they may look like Pekins to the untrained eye, but note their pink bills instead of orange.
The deep Black and White Ducks were sold to me as Magpies, but in fact they seem to be a Black Swedish mix.
The one with the red marker is "Erpelchen", my Buff Orpington drake.
Second Picture:
The Drake with the green marker os "Pomponell", a mix between one of my "Swedish Magpie" ducks (i assume PomPom, due to the crest) and my BO-Drake
Red Marker: That looks like "Maggie" another of my Black Swedish Magpie ducks.
Blue: That is "Brownie" one of the mutt-drakes, i took back from my duck inexperienced neighbors. I am not sure who were his parents, but my assumption is that his mom is a White Layer and his dad… I really don't know... The Drakes i had at the time when he was made were F&W Indian Runner (Limpy), Buff Orpington (Erpelchen) and three BO/Runner mixed drakes. But i can't rule out a stray wild Mallard drake as they have visited here a couple of times. He is a really heavy weight, but such a gentleman. And he is my most colourful duck: His head is greenish black, his chest brown white laced, wings gray white laced and a white bib, and there's some blue in his speculi.
You may understand now why i recommended muttlings? They are a package of surprises!